December, in review.

A re-cap of the chaotic month of December...

Eloise slept for 6-hours at night for the first time.

Mommy learned how to multi-task...

...and began to embrace and love the new life of complete chaos.

 Eloise became Elfoise.

Big-sister Natalie showed Eloise where the baby books are in the library.

Natalie learned that her magic wand could keep Eloise very entertained... furthering the belief that it is indeed a magic wand.

Eloise and Gus bonded a bit more.

Eloise met her Gramma Judy for the first time and got to have lunch with her and watch her walk.

Mommy learned that Fairy Princesses do a pretty good job helping take care of babies.

Eloise became more and more alert.

Frozen happened.  Santa brought it for Christmas.  This was Natalie during the first viewing.

Auntie entered the world of chaos.  You can't tell from the photo, but someone is climbing on her back attempting to give her bunny ears.

A fun afternoon of family bowling with the Carrano family.

Eloise learned to make some new facial expressions... like frowns and smiles.

Grandpa Larry came over for dinner a few times and got to hang out with and hold Eloise.

Art projects happened

New video camera

We got a new "action" video camera for Christmas.  To test it out, Scott mounted it on Natalie's bike as she rode to and from the new park.  This video was taken on the way home from the park.  Make sure to turn your volume up... it's pretty hysterical.

http://youtu.be/zYKMAUj4sOU

Christmas with Katie... and Auntie Adrienne!

A surprise for the kids: Auntie Adrienne joined us at our house for Christmas this year!  We picked her up at the airport after the festivities at Scott's parents house on Christmas Day.  We celebrated Christmas with Katie and Auntie a few days later.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

A few weeks before Christmas, Natalie decided that she did not want to leave cookies and milk for Santa.  The through process came out in the car one day... "Santa eats a lot of cookies.  And eating a lot of cookies makes your tummy hurt.  I don't want Santa to throw up on my presents, mommy.  Do you?  Do you want Santa to throw up on your presents mommy??"  She concluded that she would like to make Santa a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with chips inside.  In addition, she wanted to leave apple slices and a glass of water.  Oh, and each reindeer deserved to have their own carrot.

So, twas the night before Christmas, and we're making pb&j, cutting apples and counting carrots...

Peanut butter on one side, jelly on the other... the way mommy makes it.  Chips go in the middle.

Now smoosh it together...

She set the table for him, complete with a placemat and napkin.  For anyone that recognizes our table, you may notice that she set the table for Santa in HER SEAT.  This was a big deal.

Dictating her letter to Santa...

And autographing it with a big "NH" at the bottom.

Christmas morning mommy and daddy were blown away when they realized that everyone slept in late.  Even more alarmingly, Natalie stayed in her room until her red-light alarm clock turned green.  What sort of kid does that?!?!?

 

 

Daddy got some "sombrero man" hot sauce from Natalie.

 Gus, thrilled as usual, amongst the chaos.

Grandpa Huxter sent Natalie a present wrapped in red and green plaid wrapping paper.  After she spotted it under the tree (a few days before Christmas), she held it up and asked where it came from.  Mommy explained that Grandpa sent it and that it was for her.  She scoffed and said "well I don't know why he sent that to me.  I'm not opening it.  That wrapping paper is ugly."  Turns out, her favorite gift of all was inside: a new outfit and matching outfit for her doll, Izzy.

After opening presents, we went over to Scott's parents house to spend the day with the Hayes family.  Gramma Judy was able to hold Eloise and sing to her.  The rest of the kids had a great time running around being silly.

Pre-Christmas fun!

In the days before Christmas, Natalie made and decorated a very beautiful Gingerbread House (with minimal help from mommy)...

 

Played in her kitchen in her Christmas apron (that was actually mommy's apron a billion years ago)...

Came home with a super cute Pinterest project from one of the super cute ambitious mommies in her class.  So we made and drank hot chocolate, which is now known in our house as "reindeer juice".

 

Eloise helped mommy go grocery shopping for Christmas dinner

And Natalie fell sound asleep on Christmas Eve in her new Christmas jammies with the picture of her and Santa laid next to her on her pillow.  When mommy went in to check on her and found it there, she nearly cried.  So sweet.